One-Owner 1969 Dodge Dart

There are many ways to find the car of your dreams, but sometimes finding the car is the easy part as many owners of classic Mopars just aren’t willing to let their cars go. Bob Schwartz of Albuquerque, New Mexico, found this ’69 Dodge Dart sitting in a driveway beside the owner’s house some 20 years ago, and watched as it sat inoperable for all of those years. During that time, Bob stopped by and asked about the car and was told by the owner Sue that once she was ready to sell, the car would be his. For years Bob would stop by the house to check on the 340 four-speed equipped Dart, finding it moved once in a while but never operable or roadworthy.

Earlier this year, Bob drove up to the house in his ’Cuda to find a ’68 Barracuda in the driveway wearing a coat of primer. Talking to Sue, Bob discovered that the Barracuda belonged to her daughter’s boyfriend who wanted to fix the Dart up for her to drive some day. After speaking to the boyfriend for a few minutes about his car, Bob left the house hoping that seeing his car compared to the boyfriend’s would help convince her to sell the Dart to him.

2/62002: Over the years, Bob stopped by to speak with the owner about the 1969 Dart Swinger, taking photos of the car as well. The first photo he took was in 2002 with the front wheels removed, and in later photos the paint is obviously in worse shape.

Fortunately for Bob, the boyfriend of Sue’s daughter turned out to be somewhat unsavory, and they split up soon after Bob’s visit. Evidently the boyfriend was also somewhat vindictive, calling the city to complain about the Dart sitting in Sue’s driveway. It was at this time that Sue decided to sell the car, calling and telling Bob to come over and get the car for a fair price. With the help of some friends, Bob had a set of wheels on the Dart and got it loaded on his trailer without even opening the hood or trunk. After more than 20 years of waiting, Bob knew he wanted the car and didn’t need to inspect the Dart any further.

Getting his Dodge home, Bob discovered that the Dart was in very original condition and that the only items that had ever been changed were the belts, hoses, brake drums, and tune-up items. The engine and transmission, and even the water pump and alternator, are all original to the car making this a great candidate for a full restoration. In the paperwork Bob got with the car, he found that it was built on May 5, 1969, and that it was originally purchased in New Mexico but registered in Ohio before coming back to the Land of Enchantment. Included in the sale of the Dart was a photo of the car at the owner’s wedding and Bob even found one of the just married signs between the trunk extension and quarter-panel.

We thank Bob for sending in his story as it proves that great Mopars are out there, although it may take time (20 years in this case) to convince an owner to sell. ’69 Darts, especially 340-equipped Swinger models, are real performers so we can’t wait to see this one when Bob finishes it. Having a solid body and two build sheets for the car gives him a great start on this one-owner Dart.

6/6Just married: The Dart’s original owner included this honeymoon photo with the sale, and Bob even found one of the just married signs in the car’s trunk. As the second owner of this Dart, we’re sure Bob will cherish the car just like the original owner and we can’t wait to see it once the restoration is complete.